Jun 23, 2013

WATERMELON, What the Angles Eat.

Moloka'i Crimson Sweet Watermelon
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When I was living in the deep south as a kid, summertime meant watermelon, and watermelon meant getting rid of those pesky seeds in order to get to that sweet red flesh. My friends and I would have seed spitting contests to see who could spit them the furthest, it was a boy thing.Now that I'm much older, living in Hawaii, it turns out that the island I live on, Moloka'i, has the best watermelon I have ever eaten. Mid June on Moloka'i is not only the beginning of summer, but the beginning of the sale of our Crimson Sweet watermelon. A variety averaging around 25 pounds. This melon has exceptionally deep red flesh that's sweet and luscious. Moloka'i is well known for it's watermelon, I guess the sun, the soil, and the water must be perfect for growing them here. About 50 years ago, when commercial farming was more of a way of life on Moloka'i, watermelons were grown in large quantities and sold to other islands. Unfortunately those days are gone now, but thank goodness they're still being grown here by a few small farmers. On the main street of downtown Kaunakakai yesterday I saw 3 different pickup trucks selling beautiful watermelons. Ripe watermelon is not just made of sugar and water, it's full of phenolic antioxidants, flavonoids, lycopene, and vitamin C, at least that's what the Internet says, and everybody knows that the Internet is always right. All I know is that watermelon tastes sweet and refreshing on a hot summer day. Mark Twain once said, "When one has tasted watermelon, he knows what the angels eat."

Procedure to make watermelon cups:
Cut half of watermelon into 1-inch-thick slices. Cut slices into 25 rounds, using a 2-inch round cutter. Scoop just enough melon from tops to form indentations, using a melon baller. Stir together goat cheese, basil, salt, and pepper. Spoon into indentations. Chill 1 to 2 hours. Garnish, if desired. Makes 10 to 20 servings.

Cut watermelon into workable pieces. Remove the seeds and the rind, or buy a seedless watermelon. Puree the watermelon pulp in a blender of food processor (for extra smooth juice, pour through a strainer and run a spoon through the pulp to allow the liquid to run through it). Pour the puree into ice cube trays and freeze.

Watermelon-Raspberry Lemonade

Everyone in your ohana will enjoy this combination of flavors.Ingredients:

6 cups watermelon cubes (seeds removed)

1/4 cup frozen raspberries

1 cup water

1/3 cup sugar

1/2 cup lemon or lime juice

Procedure:

Place watermelon, raspberries and water in container of electric blender, cover and blend until smooth. Strain through fine mesh strainer into pitcher. Stir in sugar and lemon juice until sugar dissolves. Refrigerate until chilled, about 1 hour. Makes 4 servings.

Spiked Watermelon Balls

Here's a unique way to spike up your next luau. Serve these little red rum balls in a martini glass, or individually with a fancy toothpick stuck in them.Ingredients:

1 small, ripe, watermelon

1/3 cup water

1/2 cup light rum

1/3 cup sugar

1/3 cup fresh squeezed lime juice

1 teaspoon grated lime peel

Procedure:
Bring the water to a boil. Stir in sugar and simmer for 3 minutes. Add the rum and simmer for another 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool somewhat before adding the lime juice and the grated lime peel. Cut melons into balls with a melon baller. Pour the syrup over the fruit, mix gently, cover and chill for several hours before serving. Makes 8-10 servings.

Watermelon Margarita

Ingredients:

4 cups cubed watermelon (seeds removed)

2 tablespoons sugar

3 limes, 2 juiced and 1 cut into wedges for garnish

8 ounces tequila

5 ounces Triple Sec, divided

3 tablespoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon chili powder

Procedure:

In a blender, puree the watermelon and sugar until smooth. Pour the puree through a fine mesh strainer. Transfer the liquid to a pitcher and add the lime juice, tequila and 4 ounces of the Triple Sec. Stir to combine.

In a shallow dish, combine the kosher salt with the chili powder. In a second small plate, add the remaining 1-ounce of Triple Sec. Dip the rims of 4 margarita glasses in the Triple Sec, then coat them in the salt and chili mixture. Divide the margarita between the 4 glasses and garnish each with a lime wedge. Makes 4 servings.

Combine melon and cucumber in a colander set over a medium bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours.

Transfer melon and cucumber to serving bowl. Whisk lime juice, hoisin sauce, jalapeño and salt in a small bowl and pour over cucumber and melon. Add parsley and toss gently. Add black pepper to taste and additional salt if needed. Sprinkle the salad with pistachios. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Note: Add grilled shrimp to the top of this salad to make a main course. Shortly before serving, light a grill or heat a grill pan. In a large bowl, toss the shrimp (3 or 4 large shrimp, shelled and deveined, per serving) with a little olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill the shrimp over high heat until browned and just cooked, about 3 minutes per side. Place grilled shrimp on top of melon and cucumber before adding the dressing and pistachios.

Procedure:
In a bowl, combine the lemongrass, oil and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Add the chicken and turn to coat. Let marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Light a grill and oil the grates. Grill the chicken over moderately high heat, turning once, until cooked through and lightly charred, about 6 minutes. Let cool slightly, then cut into slices.

In a mini food processor, combine the chiles, garlic, brown sugar, lime juice, fish sauce and water and pulse until the chiles and garlic are finely chopped. Pour the dressing over the chicken and watermelon rounds. Sprinkle with cilantro and mint. Makes 4 servings.

Heat the oil in a large heavy sauté pan or wok over high heat . Sauté the garlic for 30 seconds and then add the shrimp. Stir-fry until the shrimp begin to cook and plump up. Add the peanuts and sauté another 30 seconds. Reduce heat to low and add the sauce. Simmer just until shrimp are cooked. Remove from heat. Stir in watermelon and serve immediately. Makes 6 servings.

Combine water and sugar in a small saucepan. Cook, stirring, over high heat until the sugar is dissolved. Transfer to a glass measuring cup and let cool slightly. Puree watermelon in a food processor or blender, in 2 batches, pulsing until smooth. Transfer to a large bowl. Whisk in the cooled sugar syrup, yogurt and lime juice until combined. Pour the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into another large bowl, whisking to release all juice. Discard pulp. Pour the extracted juices into an ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer’s directions. (Alternatively, pour into a shallow metal pan and freeze until solid, about 6 hours or overnight.

Remove from freezer to defrost slightly, 5 minutes. Break into small chunks and process in a food processor, in batches, until smooth and creamy.) Serve immediately or transfer to a storage container and freeze for up to 2 hours. Makes 8, 1/2 cup servings.

Note: If frozen longer than 2 hours, break into chunks and puree in a food processor until smooth before serving.

CHEF JAMES TEMPLE

First of all, thanks for visiting Tasting Hawaii, my way of introducing you to the multi-ethnic cuisine found on these tropical Hawaiian islands.

I'm a retired chef living on the Hawaiian island of Moloka'i. It is small and rural, with a population of only 7,345. This island is tucked away between Oahu and Maui. It's special because the people living here are mostly Hawaiian. They love the old ways of aloha, where family comes first, helping your neighbor is important, and growth and tourism is not in their vocabulary.

In ancient times, it was the task of the men to prepare the food, and men and women ate meals separately. Hawaiians have always loved to cook, and so do I. No matter where you live, we all have one thing in common... FOOD. To me, sharing lives over a meal makes food what it was always meant to be, not just a nourisher, but a uniter of hearts.

After 35 years in the advertising business I thought... it's time to expand my horizons. I decided to make a big change and go back to school... cooking school. In January, 2003 I graduated from the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco, California, with an Associate of Occupational Studies in Le Cordon Bleu, Culinary Arts Degree.

I love living and cooking, especially in Hawaii. I hope you find a recipe on this blog that will become a family favorite, and that you will learn a little about Tasting Hawaii and cooking with Aloha.

Chef James Temple

CHEF JAMES TEMPLE'S COOKBOOKS: "COOKING ON MOLOKA'I"

Cooking in Hawaii is like a painter's pallet, a fusion of flavors from many nationalities, a tropical melting pot that is unique to the culinary world. This 170 page cookbook has over 120 local recipes like: Fried Honey Sesame Shrimp, Chicken Adobo in Coconut Milk, Spicy Thai Beef Salad. and Tahitian Lime Pie. These recipes are some of the best 'grindz' enjoyed on Moloka'i and the Hawaiian islands.

"TROPICAL COOKING"

Did you know that there are over 45,000 tropical islands around the world. This 170 page cookbook has a collection of over 120 tropical island recipes. Recipes like: "Banana Crumble Muffins", "Aruban Citrus Chicken", "Pineapple Rum Cake", "Lime-Garlic Pork Roast", "Black Bean, Heart of Palm, and Corn Salad", "Coconut Crab Cakes with Avocado Mango Salsa", "Coconut Shrimp Hush-puppies", or "Tropical Island Gazpacho", just to name a few.

"AMBROSIA"

In Greek mythology, Ambrosia was the food of the Gods, an elixir of life. Today, Ambrosia is still a word that stands for the best of food, food that is good enough to be eaten by the Greek Gods. This 170 page cookbook has over 120 recipes like: "Roasted Beet Bruschetta", "Cream of Artichoke Soup", Celery Root Salad with Capers and Lemon", "Roast Pork with Dried Fruit", "Shirred Eggs with Lobster", and "Plum Crumble". This is a culinary oasis that will bring fine dining to your world and romance to your plate, whether you are a deity or not.

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